I adore the designs, but from what I understand, they're pretty hard to get (i.e., expensive), and they're model kits, which in and of itself isn't bad. However, reviewers have said they're extremely hard to put together, require paint, and require additional parts (like ball joints, etc.) to complete.

And Sanjeev, you're smoking crack. :)

That upper and lower halves of that Classics Powerglide are so disproportionate they look like they belong to differently sized robots.

> That upper and lower halves of that Classics
> Powerglide are so disproportionate they look like
> they belong to differently sized robots.

Yeah...I think that's what I like about it. Honestly, it reminds me of Bulkhead from TF Animated. In fact, it makes me really wonder if the same designers worked on both toys....and/or they just wanted to capitalize on younger kids digging the SD-ish proportions.

--
Sanjeev

'Us Massholes straight up just don't give a fuck. I still pronounce "Mazinger" as "Tranzor Z".'
-Nekrodave

The more I think about it, the more I think that Jizai really nailed how the Classics line should look (as Boo said w/r/t Powerglide), just straight-up reengineered versions of the classic characters--no creative licenses taken. Toys based on these would pull me back into TF collecting in a heartbeat.

I mean, I've been waiting for a faithful Cyclonus update for years (along with Galvatron): [jizaitoys.seesaa.net]

For me, the best changes TakaraTomy made are what was taken out. The yellow on the forearms, the yellow on the crotch, the yellow on the forehead (replaced with silver), and the blue on the shoulders. These subtractions make for a much less clown-like figure.

As for the adds, the blue fists, the chrome (which you mentioned), the silver on the thighs (all the way down). Again, it's a more consistent, less patch-work sort of paint scheme, which I think will probably be best appreciated in person. (Also, the overall darker shade of blue on the Takara version stands out.)

All good points. I think it just comes down to the collector's preferences. For me, the arms look bare, The detail is still there just all the same color now. Same with the upper legs. I can't see spending the money on it. Grimlock and Mirage however, the new chrome goes a long way on them.

For what ever reason, I'm usually very fond of the first iteration of a TF. Repaints rarely win me over, unless there is a distinct change to the mold (new head, different wings, convertible top vs. Hard top, etc) or some nostalgic value to the new color. The new Henkai/Classics Astro-train, is a must buy. Pure nostalgia.

No, I haven't heard if they will get Ramjet, 2-pac Prime & Megs, or Jetfire. I don't see any reason for them to not get made. The mini-cons might not get a complete release. And the US repaints, Skywarp, Ultra Magnus, Cliff-Jumper might not see a release. But I'm just guessing at this so you never know.

edit- It's hard to tell from the pic, but I can't find any real difference on Hot Rod.

For the record, I was at Botcon (the "opening festivities" for the 2007 East Coast Chogokin Summit...hosted by yours truly). Trust me. Ya couldn't PAY $600 to wait in that fucking line for the exclusives.

Incidentally, I like the Jp version Prime much better (for all the reasons gingaio mentioned)...but the Grimlock just doesn't quite do it for me. If they'd made his chest part smokey/translucent like on the G1, then I'd be all over it.

Sanjeev Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> ..but the Grimlock just doesn't quite
> do it for me. If they'd made his chest part
> smokey/translucent like on the G1, then I'd be all
> over it.

Sanjeev Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Incidentally, I like the Jp version Prime much
> better (for all the reasons gingaio
> mentioned)...but the Grimlock just doesn't quite
> do it for me. If they'd made his chest part
> smokey/translucent like on the G1, then I'd be all
> over it.

Yeah, in T-Rex mode, the chrome/gray transition is a bit jarring, but check out the red waist in robot mode--pure love. And Mirage's chrome weapon is pure G1 (even if the weapon itself is 10 different shades of stupid).

Damn, I'm thinking about getting this line now. It's correcting all the things that bugged me about the US line (paint job, paint job, paint job).

All great changes to the line that Hasbro SHOULD have put in place the first time around. However, the only one I can see being worth getting once you have all the Hasbro versions is Megatron. He's so vastly different, and clearly such a better figure without the ridiculous green and orange paint job.

I was going to say that this looks like what I would imagine a bootleg Omega to look like. But then I remembered that there was a bootleg, and it was in the Mechabot colors. :P

Don't hate it, but the color choice lacks the punch of either original color scheme. Not so good for a hyper-expensive, limited repaint.

I wonder why they did not use Mechabot colors, since these were featured more recently in the Dreamwave WW comics as the Sentinel colors, assuming that comic/TV continuum is a consideration. Licensing issue perhaps? Toy Box (who produced Mechabot) was a Japanese company, and I have no idea what became of it afterward.

Money saved for the Henkei Henkei toys. I loves me some unnecessary chrome...

The things that made the original Prowl/Bluestreak/Smokescreen design so cool were the fat chest and stubby feet--that old 80s chunky aesthetic, just massive bits of car unapologetically popping out left and right. Looks like they streamlined the Prowl redesign quite a bit; I'm not loving it, but it's not exactly terrible either. The face, though. Uh. Looks like they went with the Marvel Comics look instead of the animation/box art design.